Colleges in Iowa whose graduates clear the bar most often
Ranked by the share of each school's programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test).
| # | College | Programs clearing the bar | Median earnings | Programs measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clarke University | 100% | $72,235 | 11 |
| 2 | Waldorf University | 100% | $67,475 | 14 |
| 3 | Drake University | 100% | $63,302 | 35 |
| 4 | Loras College | 100% | $60,411 | 13 |
| 5 | Indian Hills Community College | 100% | $58,209 | 17 |
| 6 | Mount Mercy University | 100% | $57,928 | 17 |
| 7 | Simpson College | 100% | $57,279 | 15 |
| 8 | Grand View University | 100% | $55,891 | 16 |
| 9 | Luther College | 100% | $52,601 | 18 |
| 10 | Iowa State University | 98% | $61,779 | 94 |
| 11 | University of Iowa | 97% | $65,072 | 113 |
| 12 | Upper Iowa University | 97% | $57,430 | 31 |
| 13 | University of Northern Iowa | 97% | $54,629 | 59 |
| 14 | Saint Ambrose University | 95% | $73,127 | 21 |
| 15 | Buena Vista University | 95% | $55,830 | 20 |
| 16 | University of Dubuque | 94% | $58,216 | 18 |
| 17 | Kirkwood Community College | 93% | $49,372 | 29 |
| 18 | Morningside University | 92% | $62,170 | 12 |
| 19 | Coe College | 92% | $58,716 | 13 |
| 20 | Des Moines Area Community College | 90% | $55,875 | 30 |
| 21 | Central College | 90% | $54,469 | 10 |
| 22 | Northeast Iowa Community College | 88% | $47,199 | 17 |
| 23 | Hawkeye Community College | 86% | $54,426 | 28 |
| 24 | Iowa Western Community College | 83% | $50,993 | 12 |
| 25 | Iowa Central Community College | 83% | $50,407 | 18 |
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Ranked on one stated metric, the share of a school's programs that clear the benchmark. Schools need at least 10 programs with reported earnings to appear. Note that specialised graduate institutions (medical and health-science centres, for example) often rank at the top because their programs are almost all high-earning; the 'programs measured' column and each school's page give the context.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10). Earnings are median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing, and describe past graduates rather than a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.